A decadent, moist Chocolate Cake recipe with the easiest chocolate frosting and a soft, tender crumb. This cake always gets rave reviews and makes a stunning, tall chocolate birthday cake.
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Chocolate Cake Video
I hope this Moist Chocolate Cake recipe becomes a new favorite for you. This cake is intensely chocolatey with an ultra-moist crumb and rich whipped chocolate frosting.
Chocolate Cake Recipe
My son’s first words when he saw the cake were, “Wow that looks just like the cake from Matilda!” (We watched the Matilda movie recently). My chocolate cake is intensely chocolatey and satisfies the fiercest chocolate craving without being cloyingly sweet. It really is the best chocolate cake recipe.
I paired my favorite Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting with the soft crumb from my Moist Chocolate Cupcakes to create the ultimate chocolate layer cake. The warm coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. P.S. This recipe also happens to be an eggless chocolate cake (bonus if you are egg-free).
Why This Chocolate Cake Is So Moist
- Don’t overbake — pull the cake out of the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Oil instead of butter keeps the crumb soft and moist even after refrigerating the cake.
- Coffee deepens the chocolate flavor without making it taste like coffee.
- Vinegar activates baking soda for a light, airy texture.
- The batter is thin on purpose to create a softer, fluffier crumb.
Chocolate Cake Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients – All-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt make up the base of the cake.
- Cocoa Powder – The best cocoa for chocolate cake is natural unsweetened 100% cocoa or “cacao”. You can use a variety of brands such as Hershey’s, Nestle, or Ghirardelli, but be sure to use “unsweetened” cocoa.
- Coffee – Use very warm coffee to create a complex chocolate flavor. If you add some espresso or espresso powder, it will have even more flavor. You can substitute with decaf coffee if caffeine is an issue.
- Wet Ingredients – Vinegar activates the baking soda, vanilla extract for flavor and aroma and I use light olive oil to make the cake super moist, but you can sub with vegetable oil.
Can I use Dutch Processed Cocoa?
When a recipe calls for baking soda, it is best to stick with Natural cocoa powder because it has a higher acidity level than Dutch process. You should use the cocoa called for in a recipe for the right chemical reaction to happen. You can read more about that in our Red Velvet Cake post.
How to Make Chocolate Cake
Making a chocolate cake from scratch doesn’t get any easier. It’s no more complex than a boxed cake, so long as you measure ingredients correctly.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients
- Whisk together the dry ingredients
- Combine the wet mixture with the dry ingredients and stir. Do not overmix. The batter will seem thin — that’s normal and creates a super moist crumb.
- Divide into prepared 9-inch cake pans and bake.
How to Get Even Cake Layers
When making a layered chocolate cake, here are our best tips for even cake layers:
- Divide the batter equally – Even heights will make for a prettier cake and even bake times. I always double-check for accuracy with a digital kitchen scale. Zero out the cake pan and weigh how much cake batter is in each pan. Your cake layers will be flawless every time.
- Test your leavening – make sure your leavening is not expired so it has enough rising power for the cake layers to rise evenly.
- Preheat the oven – ensure your oven is fully preheated before baking the cake layers.
- Bake Immediately – as soon as you add baking soda to a recipe, it starts reacting immediately so bake right away.
Tips for Smooth Chocolate Frosting
The whipped chocolate cream cheese buttercream frosting is indulgent, chocolatey, silky smooth, and one of the easiest frostings you will make. To get the smoothest chocolate frosting, be sure to:
- Cream together the butter and cream cheese first to prevent lumps
- Sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa since cocoa tends to clump.
If you prefer a frosting that doesn’t have cream cheese in it, another favorite is our Chocolate Buttercream Frosting or even Vanilla Buttercream for a delicious contrast. Both are terrific on Chocolate Cake.
Natasha’s Tip for Frosting a Cake
It is critical to fully cool the cake layers to room temperature before applying frosting. If the cake layers are still warm, it will cause the frosting to melt and slide off the cake.
Chocolate makes everything better, from Chocolate Chip Cookies to Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, and let’s not forget Chocolate Mousse! If you are a chocolate lover, this recipe is for you.
I can’t help but smile when I have a generous slice of frosted Chocolate Cake on my plate. I hope this recipe brings joy and food memories wherever this recipe travels. Let me know if you’ve served it in any creative ways? We’ve done everything from sprinkles to princess themes on top, which my daughter has loved.
Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Ingredients for Chocolate Cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, (natural)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups warm coffee, (not hot), or use decaf
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup light olive oil, (not extra virgin), or Canola oil
Ingredients for Chocolate Frosting:
- 12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter , (16 Tbsp) room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, (natural)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
How to Make Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter two 9" cake pans and line the bottoms with a ring of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl whisk together your dry ingredients: 3 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 2 cups sugar, 2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt until there are no more cocoa lumps (a few tiny lumps are ok; it also helps to sift the cocoa before using it).
- In a separate bowl, mix together your wet ingredients: 2 cups warm coffee, 2 Tbsp vinegar, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract and 2/3 cup olive oil.
- Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until they come together. Your batter will still be slightly lumpy. Divide equally between prepared cake pans (a kitchen scale helps for even portioning), and bake in a preheated oven at 350˚F for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
How to Make the Chocolate Frosting:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer using paddle attachment (or using an electric hand mixer with a large bowl), beat together 12 oz cream cheese with 1 cup butter on medium/high speed until creamy (3 min), scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Sift in 5 cups powdered sugar with 1 cup cocoa powder, sifting in batches as needed to ensure there are no lumps. Then add 1/2 tsp salt. Mix on low speed until well combined. Thoroughly scrape down the bowl, then increase to medium/high speed and beat until smooth and whipped (1 min).
- Add 2 tsp vanilla and beat on medium/high until smooth (1 min). Now it's ready to be spread or piped onto the cooled cake layers.
How to Frost Chocolate Cake
- Set a cake layer onto a serving platter. Apply 1/3 of the frosting over the first layer then cover with the second layer, placing it top-side-down for an even top. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Enjoy or store it for later*
Notes
- Short-Term Storage – store covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
- Cover Properly – Use an overturned bowl or pot to cover the cake and keep it from drying out. If the cake is sliced, press a piece of plastic wrap directly over the cut portions to prevent drying out.
- Refrigerating -Cover as directed above and refrigerate for up to a week.
- Freezing – to freeze unfrosted cake layers, wrap individual layers in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze up to 3 months then taw wrapped at room temperature. To freeze a frosted cake, freeze for 1 hour to harden the frosting then wrap with plastic wrap and foil and freeze up to 3 months.
- To Serve – Thaw a covered frozen frosted cake overnight in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. You may need to fix up the frosting with a spatula.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Chocolate Desserts (for Chocolate Lovers!)
- Chocolate Ganache
- Chocolate-Frosted Eclairs
- Hot Chocolate Recipe
- Chocolate Lasagna
- Chocolate Souffle
- Black Forest Cake
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
You are my #1 go to for recipes. I love your videos. Everything I make is so delicious & it’s because of you….you’re making me look good. haha. Thank you. Would I be able to make this cake the same way as your fresh fruit cake recipe? One layer. I thought chocolate and strawberries. yum!
Thank you for your support and trust. I appreciate it and you’re doing a wonderful job! I haven’t tested that but I’m sure that will be fine!
The chocolate cake was AMAZING despite using no eggs or real chocolate. Moist, chocolatey and soft. It was finished in seconds(literally). Thank you so much Natasha. Your recipes are the best💗.
Hi Annalise! I’m so glad you loved it. Thank you for the feedback.
First of all, I love your recipes. I’m not very creative with recipes and follow them completely – watching the videos when available. Just want to mention that the images of combining the cream cheese and butter show a different mixing attachment than the video.
Hi Jane, thank you for your feedback. We always recommend using the written recipe for instructions and the video as a guide. Recipes can be updated over time, but you can’t edit/ update the video. I hope that helps.
Hi!
Is there anything I can use to replace the vinegar? And, is there any chance melted butter would work instead of oil?
Hi Dominique. The vinegar is needed for the chemical reaction that occurs with the baking soda to produce the right results. I assume butter can work, but oil in this recipe will produce a moist cake and light texture.
I’d like to make a single layer cake to take to church in a large pan. Can this be made in a large 9×13 rectangular pan?
Hi Sherri! I haven’t tested in in different size pans to know how to adjust the ingredients to fit that. Also- be sure to watch it in the oven because the baking time can be different.
Hi Natasha, I am not a big chocolate fan, BUT my family loves chocolate anything.. I have made this cake several times and it’s always a hit!
I just pulled the cakes out of the oven and my frosting is just waiting to go on top. I will take a picture soon if it doesn’t get eaten first. 🤣 I want to try your cupcake recipe – Marie
Hi Marie! I’m so glad they love this recipe! I would love to see a picture. You can tag me on Instagram or Facebook. #natashaskitchen
I am hoping I can substitute canola oil for the light olive oil?
Yes, any neutral tasting oil like vegetable and canola will work.
I wonder if this can be done with almond flour instead of wheat?
Hi Kristina, I haven’t tried almond flour yet to advise.
Can we use this recipe and make cupcakes instead of cakes? I’ve used this recipe for cakes before and it was a hit, but I’d like to make cupcakes this time
Hi Juan! I have a cupcake version too. Please reference my Eggless chocolate cupcakes recipe here.
My family loves this chocolate cake! My only recommendation is a little less salt in the frosting but otherwise it’s perfect.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Sondra!
Followed recipe exactly. The cake smelt like a chocolate cake, and had risen nicely by 35 minutes. Unfortunately, the middle sunk, and despite the extra time, the middle just wouldn’t set. It ended up being a dense, dry, cake! Extremely disappointed. Have no idea how I should have done this differently so that it was light, and moist, and cooked properly.
Hi AS! A couple of things to help troubleshoot. Did you use a different size pan than recommended? If you use a smaller pan, there would be too much batter and it won’t bake properly. Verify that you used the correct amount of baking soda, using too much can cause it to rise too fast and then collapse in the middle. I also recommended watching my tutorial on How to measure ingredients . Using too much flour can cause the cake to be dense and dry. I also highly recommend an Internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to see if your oven is calibrated. If your oven runs too hot, the cake will start to over-bake on the outside and be raw in the middle. I hope that helps for your next attempt.
Hi lovely!
I’ve been baking your chocolate cake every year form my children’s birthday. It is so delicious! It is my son’s 13th birthday tomorrow and I am in a middle of baking it right now!
Thank you for your recipes and your always smiling face. Lots of love,all the way from UK. Monika
You’re very welcome. Great to hear that this has become your go-to-recipe for birthday cakes!
I was wondering if this Can this cake be baked in a Bundt Pan
Hi Cathy! I think it could, but I have not tested myself to know how to adjust the recipe or baking time. Let us know if you experiment.
Is the frosting thick enough to be piped as decoration instead of spread around on the cake?
Hi Sue, yes, the frosting is thick enough for piping and spreading.
Great, thanks o much! I’m making it right now for my sister in-law’s bday tomorrow! Can’t wait for everyone to try it! I will report back with the feedback I get! 😉
I hope everyone loves it, Sue!
Hi Natasha! I’m very happy to report that the cake was an absolute HIT! Everyone enjoyed it so much and since a few people in my family don’t eat eggs, they were thrilled that this was eggless and tested so amazing! The cake was very moist and the frosting was perfectly chocolatey. It’s the perfect decadent chocolate cake. I can strongly say that this will now be my go to Chocolate Cake!
Thanks so much for sharing another amazing recipe and for your quick responses!
That’s wonderful, Sue! Thank you for the great feedback.
Hi Natasha, I’ve made this cake before and honestly the best homemade choc cake had to date, definitely lives up to the promise of being moist. I just wanted to ask.. Can i bake this recipe as cupcakes? How long would the cooking time be for if yes? Also (since i usually estimate and luckily worked out before) how strong should the coffee be?
Thanks in advance
Hi Bronwyn! I’m glad you loved this recipe. You can reference my eggless chocolate cupcakes with Prague frostingrecipe for instructions on that. Regarding the coffee, this can be based on your preference, any coffee will work.
Wow, I’m an experienced baker and never had a disaster like this. Thankfully it was a tryout before
baking a special occasion cake.
I’m def more comfortable with recipes that use eggs!
Hi Janie! I’m sorry that was your experience. Our readers love this recipe and it’s our go-to chocolate cake. I’d be happy to help troubleshoot if you can be more specific.
I am ready to bake this according to the recipe but nervous about no eggs to stabilize the batter .
I need 3 small
layers for an engagement party.
Hi Janie, if making this for an event we always recommend a practice run! We love this recipe and it is popular for good reason with just under 2500 comments! I hope you love it.
So delicious!!! Rich and moist and easy to make! Can’t believe it took me this long to try this recipe. Great Recipe! I love this cake and now my new favorite chocolate cake!
That’s wonderful, Pearl! I’m so glad you loved it.
Hello natasha, howcome there s no eggs in this chocolate cake? Thank you for all your good recipes
Hi Michelle, Yes, no eggs and still very delicious! Baking is definitely a science, and we believe we found the perfect balance with this recipe!
Hi Natasha,
Many thanks for sharing your recipe. My life loves all your recipes. Thats why I want to bake this cake on her birthday can you please specify how much coffee to water I should take for the cake?
Hi! A general guideline is one to two tablespoons of ground coffee for every six ounces of water.
I hope your wife loves this cake! Happy birthday to her.